Peggy Hartwick Nuket Savaskan-Nowlan Isinsu Sakalli EDC 2015 November 17 th, D VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS IN YOUR CLASSROOM

 Definition  Why 3D Virtual Learning Environments (3DVLEs)?  3DVCU Space and Activities  Experiences  Observations  Tour of 3DVCU  Activities for your students and classes? TODAY’S OBJECTIVES

…participants will be able to 1.Describe several different spaces in Carleton’s 3D Virtual University 2.Select from a variety of tools in 3DVCU space to incorporate into their own course design 3.Evaluate the possible effectiveness of this as a learning space in their own teaching contexts AT THE END OF THIS SESSION…

Evolving Definition 3DVLEs are online spaces designed to replicate real places and objects; they provide users the opportunity to interact synchronously with other users and the space itself. WAIT WHAT?

Features and Affordances  Visually rich  Accurate replications of space and objects  Multi-modal  Highly interactive  Real-time interaction, voice and movement  Potential for ‘affinity space’  Multi-player  Avatar anonymity (Chung, 2012; Dalgarno & Lee, 2010; Gee, 2004; Peterson, 2011; Peterson, 2012) WHY 3DVLES?

3DVCU: SPACES AND ACTIVITIES Tools  Polling  Collaborative writing  Screen Sharing  Gaming  Audio/ Video  Video Streaming  Movement & Gestures Activities used in 3D Carleton  Navigation maze  Live lectures  Role play  Group work  Simulations  And more…

EXPERIENCES: ACTIVITY DESIGN & SPACE Activity Type Location in Space Tools & FunctionsExperience Live lectures & Q & A type activities Rainbow Stage – main stage Collab Surfaces (MP4, PPT) VoIP Text Students generally engaged – familiarity/ beliefs about teaching and learning Little engagement in terms of space and movement by students Polling in combo with recorded listening/ PPT Rainbow Stage Collab surfaces Quick Poll function Text Minimal VoIP Good way to assess understanding Students actively engaged (WTC) Used in combination with a video pn plagiarism (2 collaboration screens) Synchronous Writing and Vocabulary Library Collab surfaces Movement Notepad/ Google doc Text Minimal VoIP Trouble with collab. writing pad in environment Students tended to work independently on collab. tasks

EXPERIENCES: ACTIVITY DESIGN & SPACE ActivityLocation in Space Tools & FunctionsExperience Instruction and Sharing of ePortfolios Rainbow stage and breakout rooms Collab (MP4) Screen sharing movement VoIP Some text Guest speaker (avatar) engaging Students were willing to share ePortfolios as they had something definitive and personal to engage with Vocabulary Development Campfire area Mix and match surface VoIP Some texting Clicking Mostly positive – stronger students led activity Defining key terms/ concepts Residential area – various rooms Collab surfaces VoIP Text Movement Teleport Highly engaged with process Evidence of understanding term/ concept in writing logs and quiz 1

Successes 3D teamChallenges Activities that maximize use of space Polling feature Text function Navigation maze Screen sharing Online presence established in 3D Active and engaged Motivating Statistics Multi-tasking for instructor Poor voice quality due to improper headset devices Task completion time hard to judge in absence of non verbal or non textual communication Not knowing if task would promote discussion Converting traditional classroom tasks to new teaching environment No ‘best practices’ OBSERVATIONS

STATISTIC/ ANALYTICS 10 Attendance graph for each event in that location. Attention percent given time. Identify the times and attention and participation affects of collaborative functions, such as Quick Poll and Desktop Sharing. Participation percent given time. Identify average participation and attendance and attendance duration of every participant

Proprietary and Confidential 11 Attendance graph for each event in that location. Attention percent given time. Identify the times and attention and participation affects of collaborative functions, such as Quick Poll and Desktop Sharing. Participation percent given time. Identify average participation and attendance and attendance duration of every participant

 Rainbow stage  Break out rooms  Polling function  Crime Solving  Campfire TOUR & TASK

Come experience 3DVLE! Slides available upon request THANK YOU

Chung, L.-Y. (2012). Incorporating 3D-virtual reality into language learning. International Journal of Digital Content Technology and its Applications (JDCTA) 6(6), Dalgarno, B. & Lee, M. J. W. (2010). What are the learning affordances of 3-D virtual environments? British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York: Routledge. Hartwick, P. (2015). Beyond the survey: Observing pedagogical interactions in a 3D virtual learning environment. Manuscript submitted for publication. Loke, S-K. (2015). How do virtual world experiences bring about learning? A critical review of theories. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 31(1), Peterson, M. (2011). Towards a research agenda for the use of three- dimensional virtual worlds in language learning. CALICO Journal 29(1), Peterson, M. (2012). EFL learner collaborative interaction in Second Life. ReCALL, 24(1), 20–39. REFERENCES